Loading device for bottle washers or the like



Jan. 29 1952 J. B. MCCABE ETA; 2583787 LOADING DEVICE FOR BOTTLE WASI-1BRS OR THE LIKE Filed June 22, 1949 2 SHEETS-SI-EE'.1 l

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Z4 2:5. 2.4; 25 I'l f3 IIIOfl II| O ,e HNI Im I /7\|I| .15' IO /6 IIIII y 2 gyn IMI Il I I l I I J- Il III i Il Il Jail 29, 1952 J. B. MCCABE ET AL LOADING DEVICE TOR BOTTLE wAsHERs OE THE LIKE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 22, 1949 BY @MMM Patented Jan. 29, 1952 LOADING DEVICE FOR BOTTLE WASHERS OR THE LIKE John B. McCabe and Henry A. Strelow, Mil- Waukee, and Robert W. Marty, Waukesha, Wis., assignors to The Heil Co., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application June 22, 1949, Serial No. 100,616

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in loading devices for bottle washers or the like and more particularly to stop plate mechanism for said devices.

Certain of the bottle washers now in use are provided with a constantly moving main table conveyor onto which bottles are delivered, either manually or mechanically. This main table conveyor moves the bottles inwardly, in an upright position, toward bottle tilting mechanism, and the latter tilts said bottles approximately 90 and feeds them into the bottle carrier pockets of the washer. In order to insure feeding oi the bottles in a proper transversely spaced relationship into the tilting mechanism, it has been common practice to use transversely spaced guide or divider plates which extend forwardly from the tilting mechanism and over a portion of the main table conveyor. In operation of this type of apparatus, the main table conveyor moves the bottles between the guide plates and into the tilting mechanism.

The copending application of Julius P. Heil et al., filed February l2, 19119, Serial No. 76,012, shows an improved bottle loader of this general type which has novel means for delivering and controlling the delivery of bottles to the main table conveyor and which also has novel means for preventing jamming of said bottles as they are fed inwardly toward the divider plates and toward the bottle-tilting mechanism.

Since the bottles are continuously urged inwardly between the divider plates and toward the bottle tilting mechanism by the main table conveyor, difficulty has been encountered because of the tendency of the innermost row of bottles between the divider plates (the row of bottles next to the tilter) to tip toward the tilter as said tilter is feeding a row of bottles into the bottle carrier'receptacles of the washer. When this has occurred it has heretofore been neces sary to stop the loader and straighten out the bottles before normal operation could be continued. This, of course, is an inefficient and time consuming operation.

With the above in mind, it is a general object of the invention to provide an improved loading device for bottle washers wherein means is provided for effectively preventing inadvertent tipping of the bottles prior to their .being positioned in the bottle tilting mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved loader of the class described having novel means for preventing bottles from moving inwardly beyond the divider plates except when the bottle tilting mechanism is in the proper position to receive them. i

Another object of the invention is'to provide a loader of the class described having a 'verti-V cally movable stop plate 4positioned at the rear ends of the divider plates, between said plates and the bottle tilting mechanism, said stop plate, when in raised position, preventing inward movement of bottles from between said plates toward the tilting mechanism, and said plate when in Llowered position permitting said move-v ment of the bottles, said plate being disposed in lowered position only when the tilting mechanism is in position to receive a row of bottles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a loader of the class described wherein the stop plate is connected to and actuated by the bottle tilting mechanism in a novel manner for operation in properly timed relationship therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction as above described, wherein the stop plate is so operated that it moves in synchronism with the tilting elements and at a rate which varies directly with the rate of Vmovement of said'elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a loader of the class described which is strong and durable, which is relatively simple in construction, and which is otherwise well adapted for the purposes described.`

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved bottle loading device, and all of its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents there-` of.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, in which are shown one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention, and in which the same reference characters indicate the sameparts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a fragmentary plan view of the improved loading device for bottle washers with no bottles positioned thereon and with the bottle tilting mechanism thereof in a position to receive a row of bottles, parts being broken away for clarity; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the im-` proved loading device, part being broken away and shown in sectional view taken approximately along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, bottles being shown inpositicn on both the main table conveyor and on the bottle tilting device, and the positions of the parts when the bottle tilting mechanism is 3 tilted approximately 300 being shown in dot and dash lines. I A

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

the numerals 5 and 6 indicate the spaced, par-l allel, vertically extending frame members of a loading device for bottle washers, said members being adapted to be operatively connected to corresponding frame members on the front end of a conventional bottle washing machine. The members 5 and 6 are suitably connected to provide the proper support to maintain their proper respective positions.

A horizontal-ly disposed main table conveyor I extends between the frame members 5 and 6, and at its forward end extends around a horizontally extending driving roller 8. The conveyor I may be made of wire mesh or any other suitable flexible material.

Extending transversely between the frameY members 5 and 6, and fixed at its ends thereto is a horizontal elongated plate 9. 'The plate' 9 is positioned adjacent the inner end of the upper extent of the conveyor 'I with the upper surface of said plate slightly below the plane of the upper surface of said conveyor.

A Aplurality of equally spacedv vertical divider plates Ill are positioned above the inner end portion of the upper extent of the conveyor l. The divider plates IIJ are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the outer diameter of the bottles to be handled. Adjacent their inner ends the lower edgesof the divider plates I are formed with downwardly extending portions II which terminate in an inverted T-shaped flange I2. The anges I2 all rest on the upper surface of the plate 9.l The outer ends of the divider plates may be suitably supported in any desired manner.

Positioned on top of the fianges I 2 and extend* ing horizontally between the divider plates I 0 toward the conveyor I are rectangular plates I3. The plates I3 and the flanges I2 are fixed to the plate 9 by screws extending therethrough, as shown,'and said plates are positioned with their upper surfaces in substantially the same plane as the upper surface of the conveyor 1, as shown in Fig. 2. Y

Y `Spaced inwardly from the roller 8 is a horizontally extending shaft I4 which is journalled adjacent each end in suitable bearings carried by the frame members 5 and 6. vThe shaft I4 is preferably formed with an intermediate portion having 'a square'cross-sectional shape, as shown. At one end, the shaftl I4 projects outwardly of the frame member 6 and has fixed thereto an arm I5 which is adapted to be connected through suitable reciprocatory linkage to the main drive motor (not shown); Y

Bolted, as shown, to one face of the intermediate portion of the shaft I4 `are a plurality of bottle tilting elements I6. The elements I6 are each formed of a base plate II, which is aper tured adjacent one end to receive the attaching bolt, as wellas with an opstanding angle member I8. The tilting elements I6 are spaced apart as shown and are preferably positionedwith the apex of the angled member I8 facing and in line with one of the divider plates I0. Y

,A channel shaped member I9 may be bolted to the face of the shaft I4 opposite'that face to which the tilting members I6 are connected, said Vchannel member being co-extensive with the tiltingvmembers. An elongated, substantially rectangular piece of sheet metal 29 bent to have an arcuate shape in transverse 'cross-section yand extending substantially the width of the feed 4 conveyor, may be connected along one of its longitudinal edges to the outer end faces of the base plates Il, as by screws 2|. The opposite longitudinal edge of the plate 28 may be connected to the outer end surface of the channel member I9, as by the screws 22. i A.

Fixed to the shaft I4 laterally outwardly of the outermost tilting member I6 on each side, is a hoisting segment or member 23 having a circular peripheral portion. The members 23 may be substantially semi-circular and are each formed with a peripheral T-shaped flange .24, Bolted to one end face and extending angularly outwardly from each hoisting member 23 is a lug member 25 which is apertured to receive a bolt 26. Suitable nuts secure thebolts 26 to the lugs 25. Fixed, as by riveting, to an end of each of the bolts 26 is a flexible band 2'I which is preferably of metal and which extends around a portion of the periphery of the members 23. The bands 2'! extend substantially vertically downwardly from the members 23,.as shown, and have bolts 28 xed to their lower ends.

An elongated, substantially rectangular, vertical stop plate 29 extends substantially the entire distance between the frame members 5 and 6. The plate 29 is positioned immediately inwardly of the divider plates I0 and elongated transverse plate 9, and is located between said plates and the tilting members I1. The plate 29 is formed with means for connection with the bolts 28, such as a flange 39 along the lower edge thereof which is apertured to receive said bolts. Suitable nuts 3| adjustably x the bolts 28 to the plate 29, as shown.

The plate 29 is vertically movable and is guided in said movement by oppositely disposed pairs of angle members 32 which are bolted to the frame members 5 and 6 and between which the end portions of the plate 29 travel as shown. It is apparent that the plate 29 is supported substantially entirely through the bands 29. When the plate 29 is in the'lowered position shown in Vthe drawings, the upper edge surface thereof is preferably slightly below the planes of the upper surfaces of the plates I3 and I'I, as indicated by full lines in Fig. 2. Rotation of the shaft I4 and the hoisting members 23 approximately 90 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 2 to the dot and dash line position thereof) raises the plate 29 to the dot and dash line position shown Vin said figure.

A horizontal shaft 33 extends between the frame members 5 and 6 and is suitably journalled in bearings carried by said frame members. The shaft 33 is parallel with the shaft I4. One end of the shaft 33 projects outwardly of the frame member 5 and has xed thereon an larm 34 which is adapted to be connected, through suitable reciprocatory linkage, to the main drive motor (not shown). Fixed to the shaft 33 are a plurality of spaced fingers 35 which extend at a right angle to the axis of the shaft 33 and normally project angularly upwardly as shown, so that their outer ends are positioned above the shaft I4 and between the tilting members I6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The operation of the improvedv loading device Vwill now be described. With the parts of the apparatus disposed vas shown in solid lines in the drawings, upright bottles 36 to be washed Vare urged inwardly between the divider plates I0 by the main table conveyor l. As bottles move off'the conveyor 'I and onto the plates I3, the bottlesV on said plates are urged inwardly by the bottles therebehind. The innermost transverse row of bottles is thereby moved from the plate I3 onto the plates I1 of the .tilting member I 6. Each of the bottles in said row is supported by two tilting members I6, the bottom of each of said bottles being positioned on a forward` corner of the base plate I1 of each of an adjacent pair of said. members, and the side wall. of said bottle resting against one side Wall of the angle member I8 of each of said adjacent pair of tilting members I6. Fig. 2 shows a bottle 36 in this position.

When the itlting members I6 are filled with bottles 36, the reciprocatory linkage connected to the arm I5 rocks the shaft I4 approximately 90 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 2). Rotation of the shaft I4 causes rotation therewith of the tilting members I6 and the segments 23 to the dot and dash line position shown in Fig.. 2. As themembers 23 are so rotated, the bands 2T are pulled upwardly therearound, and said movement of the bands 21 pulls the plate 29 vertically upwardly to the .dot and dash line position of Fig. 2. When the plate 29 is in this raised position, it blocks the inward movement of the bottles between the divider plates i0, and causes a slipping Contact between the conveyor 'I and the bottles thereon. When the stop plate 29 is in raised position it eiiectively prevents premature 'tipping of the bottles in the transverse row adjacent thereto. Were it not for the plate 29, this row of bottles would be moved inwardly under the urging of the bottles, therebehind,whi1e the tilting mechanism is being rotated to the dot and dash position. If this occurred, the bottle :a

would tend to become unstable and would tip inwardly and thence to one side or the other. When bottles are tipped over in this mannei` proper operation of the loader is impossible until the bottles are again straightened up.

The bottles 36 on the tilting elements I6 are tilted to a substantially horizontal position by the rotation of the shaft I4, as shown in Fig. 2. When the tilting members I6 are so posi- Y tioned, they are alined with an empty row of vbottle carrying pockets (not shown) in the bot tle washing machine (not shown). At a properly timed instant in the cycle of operation, the reciprocatory linkage which is connected to the arm 34 rocks the shaft 33 approximately 45 in a clockwise direction. This rotation causes the fingers 35 to swing upwardly into contact with the bottoms of the horizontally disposed bottles on the tilting elements I E and causes pushing of said bottles on' of said members and into the pockets of the bottle washing machine.

The reciprocatory linkages connected to the arms I5 and 34 then rock the shafts I4 and 33 respectively to their original positions, thereby returning the tilting elements I6, plate 29, and fingers 35 to the solid line positions of the drawings. With the plate 29 in lowered position, the conveyor 'I urges another transverse row of bottles into the tilting mechanism, and the cycle is repeated.

The interconnection of the vertically movable stop plate 29 and the tilting elements, through the hoisting members 23 and shaft I4, automatically causes the stop plate to move up to raised position while a row of bottles is being tilted and fed into the bottle washing machine. By preventing bottles from moving past the inner edges of the divider plates during a tilting operation bottles are prevented from moving into such a position that they would be unstable and in a direction which varies directly with the direction and speed of rotation of the shaft I4. The mechanism is sturdy in construction and has relatively iew working parts to get out of order, thereby minimizing the cost of manufacture and of repair.

While the metal bands 21 and the segments 23 have been found to give the most satisfactory results, it is realized that other types of connections may be used to move the plate 29 in synchronism with the tilting elements I6 and at a rate which varies directly with the rate at which said elements are moved.

These and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

What we claim is:

l. In a bottle loading device: an oscillatory mechanism for tiltingbottles :from an upright position to recumbent position; a main table conveyor for delivering bottles in upright position to an upright position in said tilting mechanism; a movably mounted stop plate located to prevent movement of bottles from said conveyor onto said tilting mechanism when said plate is in bottle stopping position; and an operating connection between said tilting mechanism and said stop plate for causing movement of said stop plate toward bottle stopping position to take place simultaneously with the beginning of movement of the bottles in the tilting mechanism toward recumbent position.

2. In a bottle loading device: an oscillatory mechanism :for tilting bottles from an upright position to a recumbent position; a main table conveyor for delivering bottles in an upright position to an upright position in said tilting mechanism; a transversely extending stop plate positioned between said conveyor .and tilting mechanism, said stop plate being mounted for vertical movement from a raised position where it prevents movement of bottles from said conveyor to said bottle tilting mechanism, to a lowered position where it permits such movement; and means connecting said stop plate with the bottle tilting mechanism to cause movement of said stop plate to raised position to be started when movement of said bottle toward recumbent position in said tilting mechanism begins.

3. In a bottle loading device: a bottle tilting mechanism having bottle holding receptacles movable between an upright bottle position and a recurnbent bottle position; a main table con veyor for delivering bottles to said tilting mechanism; a transversely extending stop plate positioned between said conveyor and tilting mechanism, said stop plate being mounted for vertical movement from a raised position where it prevents movement of bottles from said conveyor to said bottle tilting mechanism, to a lowered position where it permits such movement; and means positively connecting said stop plate with the bottle tilting mechanism for moving said stop plate in an upward direction at a rate which varies directly with the speed of movement of the bottle tilting mechanism while the latter is moving bot--I tles in said receptacles from upright bottle position to recumbent bottle position.

4. In a bottle loading device: an oscillatory horizontally extending shaft; bottle tilting elements mounted on said shaft and oscillatable therewith between an upright bottle holding position and a position in which the bottles are recumbent; a main table conveyor for delivering bottles to said tilting elements; a transversely extending stop plate positioned between said conveyor and tilting elements, said stop plate being mounted for vertical movement from a lowered position wherein it permits movement of bottles onto'said bottle tilting elements to a raised position wherein it prevents such movement; and means positively connecting the stop plate with the bottle tilting elements and including at least one hoisting segment 'fixed to said oscillatory shaft and oscillatable therewith for raising said stop plate in timed relationship with movement of said tilting elements from upright holding position to recumbent bottle position.

5. In a bottle loading device: an oscillatory horizontally extending shaft; bottle tilting elements mounted on said shaft and oscillatable therewith between upright bottle holding position and a position in which the bottles are recumbent; a main table conveyor for delivering bottles to said tilting elements; a transversely extending stop plate positioned between said conveyor and tilting elements, said stop plate being mounted for vertical movement from a lowered position wherein it permits movement of bottles into said bottle tilting elements to a raised position wherein it prevents such movement; at least one hoisting memberhaving a smooth surfaced curved peripheral portion fixed to said oscillatory Vtilting elements; a transversely extending stop plate positioned between said conveyor and tilting elements, said stop plate being mounted for vertical movement from a lowered position wherein its permits movement of bottles onto said bottle tilting elements to a raised position wherein it prevents such movement; at least one hoisting member having 9, circular periphery iixed to and concentric with said oscillatory shaft; and an elongated flexible member xedly connected at one end to said hoisting member and windable on the periphery thereof and fixed at its other end 6 to said stop plate for lifting said stop plate in timed relationship with movement of said tilting elements from upright bottle holding position to recumbent bottleposition.

7. In a vbottle loading device having bottle tilting 'elements mounted on an oscillatory horizontally extending shaft and having a lmain table conveyor for delivering bottles to said tilting elements; atransversely extending stop plate positioned between said conveyor and tilting elements, said stop plate being mounted for vertical movement from a lowered position wherein it permits movement of bottles onto said bottle tilting elements to a raised position wherein it prevents such movement; a pair of hoisting members having circular peripheries fixed to said oscillatory shaft; and a flexible metal band fixed at one end to and extending around a portion of each member and fixed at the other end to said stop plate to cause operation of said stop plate in timed relationship with said ltilting elements. Y

8. In a bottle loading device having bottle tilting elements mounted on an oscillatory horizontally extending shaft and having a main table conveyor for delivering bottles to said tilting elementsa transversely extending stop plate positioned between said conveyor and tilting elements; said stoppla'te being' mounted' for vertical movement from a lowered position wherein it permitsr movement of bottles onto said bottle tilting elements to a raised position wherein it prevents such movement; at least one hoisting member having a circular periphery fixed to said oscillatory shaft; and a flexible elongated member fixed at one end to and extending around a portion of said hoisting member and fixed at the other end to said stop plate to causeoperation of said stop plate in timed relationship with said tilting elements.

9. In a bottle loading device having bottle tilting elements mounted on an oscillatory horizontally extending shaft and having a main table conveyor for delivering bottles to said tilting elements; a transversely extending stop plate positioned between said conveyor and tilting elements, said stop plate being mounted for vertical movement from a lowered position wherein it permits movement of bottles onto said bottle tilting elements to a raised position wherein it prevents such movement; at least one hoisting member having a circular periphery fixed to said -oscillatoryshaft; anda flexible elongated member extending around a portion of the periphery of said hoisting member and connected at one end to said hoisting member and connected at the other Vend to said stop plate, the connection on at least one en d of said flexible member including an adjustable take-up device.

' JOHN B. MCCABE.

HENRY A. STRELOW. ROBERT W. MARTY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:`

UNrrsD STATES PATENTS 

